Community Spirit

EAST POINT, Ga. -- Members of the East Point/College Park Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., gathered on a cold and windy Saturday morning to beautify the front of the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility. Members of the Sorority, Bowden volunteers, Wayfield Foods, Home Depot, and members of local Boy Scout Troop 54 collaborated to provide new greenery to the site.

The Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility is located at 2885 Church Street in East Point. For more information about Fulton County Senior Multipurpose Facilities call the STARline at 404-613-6000.

Citizens in need of reasonable accommodations due to a disability including communications in an alternative format should contact the Disability Services Liaison in the Aging and Youth Department at (404) 613-7944. To obtain Georgia Relay Access, citizens should dial 711.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County 4-H is hosting a Fall Festival on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Fulton Camp Truitt located at 4300 Herschel Road in College Park. Families will enjoy trick or treating, carnival games and crafts, a pumpkin push contest, a pumpkin ring toss, a bobbing for gummy bears contest, and many more fun activities. Everyone is encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes.

The Fall Festival is a good time to learn about 4-H and how the program positively affect their lives by assisting them in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.

For more information about the Fulton County 4-H Fall Festival, call 404-762-4085. For more information about Fulton County Cooperative Extension call 404-332-2400.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County Cooperative Extension is seeking adults interested in becoming a mentor to make a difference in the life of a child enrolled in 4-H. The mission of Georgia 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.

“4-H has a long, established history of making a positive impact in the lives of young people,” said Menia Chester, Director of Fulton County Cooperative Extension. “A lot is expected of our mentors because we believe the mentors receive a lot from helping young people chart their own course, explore important issues and define their place in the world.”

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County Youth Commissioners will kick off their sixth “Can-Paign to Fight Hunger” on Monday, Oct. 6 to help feed hungry adults and children.

The campaign, in partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) has a goal of filling 50 barrels of non-perishable food by Nov. 7. Each barrel holds enough food to feed an average of 285 families, totaling over 14,250 individuals.

The continuing partnership with the ACFB focuses on the need to fill overwhelming gaps in food security for adults, seniors and/or families whose heads of households are unemployed, underemployed or living on fixed incomes that do not meet all of their economic needs.

The ACFB Hunger in America Study reports the following:

• Among all ACFB clients, 27 percent are children under age 18 and 19 percent are seniors age 60 and older.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Each year, approximately 1,100 Americans ages 65 and older die as a result of a home fire. During National Preparedness Month, the Fulton County Fire Rescue Department (FCFRD) reminds senior residents they have the power to stop a fire before it starts.

About 3,400 Americans die each year in fires and about 17,500 are injured. According the United State Fire Administration, compared to the rest of the U. S. population, people between 65 and 74 are nearly twice as likely to die in a fire.

The Fulton County Fire Rescue Department believes the best fire prevention is fire education and encourages seniors to learn how to protect themselves and their property from a house fire.

With a few simple steps, older people can dramatically reduce their risk of death and injury from fire.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- As students head back to school, Fulton County Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Program will begin the fall session with a list of fun, challenging activities to enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.

“4-H has been a staple in many communities providing guidance and structure for students,” states Menia Chester, Director of Fulton County Cooperative Extension. “Our program focus is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge and developing life skills through hands-on experiences.”

The Fulton County 4-H Program has offered students fun activities such as going to Cloverleaf Summer Camp (Rock Eagle 4-H Center), taking the Animal Safari Tour and the Cochran Mill Nature Center Tour. Students also receive leadership and communication skills training as well as learn about foods and nutrition, health, energy conservation, and citizenship.

(WXIA) -- Kroger customers in metro Atlanta recently showed that they are a charitable bunch.

During the final two weeks in May, shoppers raised $232,000 for the Children's Miracle Network through the Miracle Balloons promotion.

For only $1, a customer could purchase a paper balloon to hang in a local Kroger. All proceeds from the fundraiser went directly to Children's Miracle Network hospitals and health networks, such as Children's Hospital of Georgia in Augusta and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"Kroger customers consistently show their care for our communities by constantly going above and beyond with their charitable donations," Glynn Jenkins, spokesperson for Kroger's Atlanta division, said in a release. "Through their support of the Miracle Balloons program, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children."